Electric switch



Sept. 3, 1935.

. I. P. AVERY ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Jan. 20, 1934 IJQVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES ELECTRIC swrrcn John P. Avery, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to F.

Kaplan, New York, N. Y.

Application January 20, 1934, Serial No. 707,537

4 Claims.

My invention relates to electric switches and while the same is useful for various purposes it is designed to meet the conditions relating to canopy and link switches employed in lighting 5 systems. In switches of this type it is desirable to provide a mechanism which may be confined in a small space and especially desirable that the thickness of the switch be reduced to the minimum. One of the objects of my invention is to provide a switch which may be very small and especially thin, in order to meet the requirements of a canopy or link switch.

Another object of my invention is to provide a switch which is inexpensive to manufacture and 15 one in which the assembly cost is reduced to a minimum in order to reduce the amount of hand work necessary to assemble the parts. Furthermore, assembly operators may be trained to assemble the present device very quickly.

Other objects and advantages will be set forth in the following detailed description of my invention.

In the drawing forming part of this application,

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a switch embodying my invention, in which view portions are broken away to show interior parts. The outer shell or casing is, for simplicity, omitted from the drawing.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the switch embodying my invention,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the switch with parts broken away,

Figure 5 is a plan view of parts of the switch with the cover plate removed,

Figure 6 is a plan view of the insulator block in which the mechanism of the switch is mounted,

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the contact springs and its holding plate, and

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

The switch mechanism is mounted upon a block or base I shown separately in Figure 7; and this base is preferably made of insulating material such as bakelite. This base is formed with a central chamber 2 which is more or less circular with one side of the chamber open, to be covered by a cover plate, as will be hereinafter set forth. The bottom wall 3 of the base forming the bottom of the circular chamber is provided with an aperture 4 in which one end of the shaft of the switch mechanism is adapted to have its bearing. At opposite sides of the chamber 2 there are surfaces 5 concentric with the shaft bearing aperture 4 and on either side of these portions there are recesses 6 into which the contact springs are adapted to be pressed.

At opposite sides of the base block there are vertically arranged slots or recesses I just beyond the circular chamber 2 and the walls 8 dividing the recesses 'I from the circular chamber 2 are provided with vertical openings 9. The base block is also provided with apertures I at opposite corners to receive therethrough the screws which hold the cover plate to the base.

One side wall of the base is provided with an opening II in which the chain for operating the switch is adapted to move. In addition, the base block is provided with a recess I2 to receive a portion of the arm which forms a part of the shaft of the switch mechanism.

There are two spring contact arms employed in the switch, both of which are constructed alike, and one of them is shown in Figures 8 and 9. The spring member I3 is provided with a curved or arched contact member I4 which makes contact with the contact members of the oscillating member of the switch. The spring has a portion I turned at right angles to the member I3 and this portion is seated against one face of a securing member I6. Preferably the member I6 is provided with a bore I1 and at one end of this bore the member has a flange I8 which extends through the aperture I9 in the spring member and is then turned over to secure the spring member against the spring carrying member IE to unite these parts rigidly together. The wall of the bore I1 is shown as provided with a screw thread so that the member acts as a binding post and receives one of the binding screws 20 for connecting one of the wires H to the switch. The spring carrying member I6 is provided with a T shaped head 22.

This T shaped head is adapted to rest on the two shoulders 23 of the base at opposite sides of the socket I, for the purpose of holding the spring I4 slightly off the bottom wall 3 of the base in order that the spring will operate freely or without friction against the bottom wall. They also form a wide bearing to keep the springs in place.

There is a shaft 24 extending vertically of the base I, with one end having its bearing in the aperture 4 of the bottom wall 3 of the base i; and the shaft has its opposite end bend at right angles as shown at 25 to extend laterally toward the extremity of the chamber 2; and the end of this portion of the shaft is again bent, this time downwardly as at 26 or at right angles to the portion 25.

This turned down end is adapted to be received in the recess I2 of the base in order to prevent the shaft from turning and to constitute part of the means for maintaining the upright portion of the shaft in its proper position.

On this shaft there is mounted a sleeve 26 which carries the plate 21. The latter is proerture 29 to receive one of the balls on the end of the chain, and with a slot 30 to receive the portion of the chain intermediate two of the balls, so that the chain is detachably secured to the member 28. 'The plate 21 also has a projection 3| which is adapted to engage against a stop member as will be hereinafter set forth. There is a spring 32 coiled around the vertical part of the shaft, one end of the spring being attached to the sleeve 26 and the other end projecting laterally from the vertical portion of the shaft and provided with a hook 33 which hooks onto the lateral extension 25 of the shaft. This spring serves to press the plate 21 downwardly and to cause the sleeve 26 and the plate 21 to return to a starting position after it has been partially rotated by the pull chain.

Below the plate 21 there is mounted upon the sleeve 26 and upon the vertical portion of the shaft a block of insulating material 34. This block has on its upper surface slanting toothed members 35 directed upwardly, which engage with the slanting toothed members 36 extending downwardly from the plate 21 so that the oscillation of the plate 21 in one direction will carry the block 34 with it and upon the return movement of the plate the teeth 35 will escape the teeth 36, the spring resistibly permitting the plate and the sleeve to rise sufliciently to allow the two sets of teeth to escape each other. The block 34 is also provided with a flange 31 extending sufficiently out from the block to act as a guide to prevent the contact springs M from moving upwardly beyond their operating position.

The lower portion of the block 34 is provided with a conducting member 38 fixed thereto and having curved contact portions 39 adapted to wipe against the springs M in one position of the block 34;-and there are inwardly extending notches at opposite sides of the block into which the ends of the springs |4 may fall when the circuit is to bebroken. J

I have shown a form of cover plate for the switch in Figures 1 to 4 to render the switch adaptable as a link switch, that is, to be mounted between chain links to be suspended in a lighting equipment, and for this purpose the plate 4| is provided with two lateral extensions 42 on opposite sides, each provided with an aperture 43 to receive the links of the cabin therein. If the switch is to .be used as a canopy switch then the two extensions 42 may be omitted. The plate 4| is shown as extending across the open side of the block I and it is secured to the block by means of the screws 42 passing through the-apertures ll] of the block and threaded into the plate. This cover plate is provided with means for holding the top of the shaft against displacement and with means for co-operating with the stop projection 3| of the plate 21 to limit the return movement thereof. I have shown a raised or drawn member 44 on the cover plate which on its under side provides a groove 45 to receive therein the lateral portion 25 of the shaft thereby forming a bearing for the top of the shaft and co-operating with the end 26 which is locked in the aperture l2 of the block in preventing the shaft from revolving after the parts have been assembled. The member 44 extends from a point over the vertical portion of the shaft to a point over the end 26. The cover is provided with two slots or cuts and the strip of metal 46 between these cuts is bent downwardly from the cover to provide a stop member against which the member 28 strikes after this plate has been oscillated by the pull chain and when being returned to its starting position by the spring 32.

The pull chain may be of usual kind consisting of a chain portion 41 having a number of balls 48 along the chain. The ball on one end of the chain is passed through the aperture 29 of the plate 21 and the chain portion 41 near the end ball is moved into the slot 30 of the plate 21 to lock the end of the chain to this plate. From there the chain passes partly around the block. 34. under the flange 31 and thence out through the slot ll of the block I and through an aperture in the enclosing shell (not shown).

If the device is to be used as a chain switch then the extensions 49 of the plate 4| extend down against the ends of the block I so that the extensions 42 which project from the portions 49 will lie as near the plane of the middle line of the block I as possible.

If the device is to be used as a canopy switch the plate 4| will be provided with an angular extension 50 lying close to one side of the block I. This member 50 has a threaded tube 5| riv eted or eyeletted through the member 50 and through this tube the pull chain passes where it emerges from the slot ll of the base The tube 5| has an external thread on which the nut 52 is screwed, so that an apertured portion of the canopy will be clamped between the nut 52 and the member 50.

In assembling the switch all the parts associated with the shaft may be assembled before the shaft is placed in position. The sleeve 26 and the plate 21, togetherfwith the spring 32 may be assembled on the vertical portion of the shaft and the hook 35 of the spring may at this time or later be hooked over the extension 25 of the shaft. The block 34 may be placed over the straight end of the shaft. The end of the pull chain may be hooked onto the extension 28 of the plate 21. These several parts are now ready to be assembled in the block I.

The springs l4 and their supports I6 are first assembled by dropping them into the block I so that the supports |6 slide downwardly in the pockets 1 until the members 22 come to rest on the shoulders 23 and with the portions l3 of the springs projecting through openings 9 in the wall 8 and with the arched portions l4 of the springs lying more or less concentric with the bearing aperture 4 and opposite the recesses 6. Two such springs are assembled in the pockets 1 at nearly opposite sides of the chamber 2.

When the abutments 22 rest on the shoulders 23, the springs M will be supported above or out of contact with the bottom wall 3 of the base as shown in Figure 3, so that they can operate freely. Insulating members 54 are dropped into the pockets 1 above the spring supports l6 so that when the cover is applied to the base the springs 4 cannot rise in the pockets 1.

.After the springs l4 and their supports have been assembled in the block in the manner just described the parts assembled on the shaft, as described above, may now be assembled. These assembled parts are inserted into the chamber 2 from the open or cover side so that the straight end of the shaft passes through the aperture 4 and the bottom of the block 34 rests on the upper surface of the bottom wall 3 of the base The If the hook 33 on the spring has not been previously engaged with the portion of the shaft, it

will now be hooked onto the latter and the shaft will return counterclockwise until the member 26 is in register with the recess I2, whereupon the shaft will be pressed downwardly to insert the hook 26 into the recess I2 so that the spring 32 will be under tension and the shaft cannot thereafter revolve. The blocks 54 may now be dropped into the pocket 1 above the spring supports I6 after which the cover will be applied to the open sideof the base block. The cover will be so positioned on the base block that the member 44 will straddle the shaft member 25, thereby further holding the shaft from revolving and forming a bearing for the shaft. When the cover is in place the stop member 46 projecting downwardly from it stands in the path of the projection 28. The plate 4| is now secured to the base block by means of the screws 42 so that it covers the chamber 2 and the pockets 1, or in other words, it extends entirely across the top of the base block.

It will be noted that the base block is provided with recesses 60 within which the contact screws 29 may lie and wherein the ends of the circuit wires 2| may be connected with the spring supports and fastened thereto by the binding screws 20. The switch device described herein may be enclosed in any suitable shell but for simplicity I have omitted the shell from the drawing.

When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2 the circuit is open because the springs I4 engage the insulating block 34 and are not in contact with the metal members 39 on this block. Assuming the current is to be turned on at the switch, the operator will pull on the pull chain and this will cause the plate21 to hemtated.

Before the movement takes place or in the normal position of the plate 21, the extension 28 will lie against one edge of the stop member 46 of the cover. As the chain is pulled it revolves the plate 21 until the end of the chain comes op posite the opening II and the movement of the plate 21 stops at a definite position. This movement is against the resistance of the spring 32. When the pull chain is released the spring causes the plate 21 to return until the extension 28 reengages the stop member 46. The plate 21 therefore has an oscillating movement. While the chain is oscillating the plate 21, the teeth 36 on the latter engaging the teeth 35 on the block 34 causes the latter block to be rotated with the plate 21 in one direction. During the return movement of the plate 21.the block 34 is prevented from taking part in this movement bythe springs engaging against the shoulders 6| to hold this block against retrograde movement. During the return movement of the plate 21 the teeth 36 rise up on the teeth 34 and escape past the latter to permit the return of the plate 21 while the block 34 is being held by the spring I4. The above oscillation of the plate 31 during the pull of the chain causes the block 34 to be rotated a partial turn or until the springs I4 engage and rest against the contact portions 39 of the metal piece 38 carried by the block 34, so that this metal piece is in contact with both springs I4, whereby closing a circuit to light a lamp or for any other purpose.

The parts remain in this condition until the chain is again pulled, whereupon the plate 21 is again oscillated to advance the block 34 another step, and when this occurs the parts will be brought back to the position shown in Figure 2 with the springs I4 disengaged from the member 39, and this breaks or opens a circuit.

It will be apparent from the above that I have provided a very simple switch, the parts of which may be mounted in a base block of very narrow dimensions. I have found it convenient to employ a base block not exceeding five-eighths of an inch in thickness, which is a very desirable feature. No screws are necessary to hold the spring support I6 in place in the block, so that the springs and the supports may be assembled by simply dropping them into the base block. The complete mechanism associated with the shaft may all be assembled before they are placed in the base block and the cover serves to retain the parts in the assembled condition. The shaft is. firmly supported at each end of the vertical portion and the shaft is efficiently locked against revolution by the cover and by the engagement of the hook in the notch l2.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A'switch including a base block provided with a chamber to receive a rotor and having a bottom wall for said chamber provided with an aperture, a rotor including a shaft having one end which has its bearing in the aperture of said bottom wall and having its upper end bent at right angles to the vertical portion of the shaft, a cover plate for said chamber provided with a groove adapted to receive therein and to hold said laterally extending portion of said shaft.

2. A switch including a base block provided with a chamber to receive a rotor and having a bottom wall having an aperture, a rotor including a vertical shaft, one end of which has its bearing in the aperture of said bottom wall, the upper end of which shaft is bent at right angles to the vertical portion to form a lateral extension, the free end of said extension being bent downwardly, said base block having an aperture to receive said downwardly bent end, and a cover plate for said chamber having a groove to receive the laterally extending portion of said shaft.

3. A switch including a base block provided with a chamber to receive a rotor, said chamber having a bottom wall, a rotor including a shaft one end of which has its bearing in said bottom wall, and having its upper end bent at right angles to the vertical portion of the shaft, a cover plate for said chamber engaging said bent end of the shaft to form a bearing for one end of the shaft, a spring surrounding the vertical portion of the shaft and having one end engaging said bent portion of the shaft.

4.v A switch including a 'base block provided with a chamber to receive a rotor and provided with a bottom wall, a rotor including a vertical shaft, one end of which has its bearing in said bottom wall, the upper end of said shaft being bent at right angles to the vertical portion to form a lateral extension, and being bent downwardly at the outer end of said horizontal portion, said base block having an aperture to receive said downwardly bent end of the shaft therein to assist in holding the shaft in position and to prevent the same from turning, and a cover plate for said base block adapted to prevent said bent end of the shaft from disengaging from said aperture when the parts are in assembled position.

. JOHN P. AVERY. 

